IPL 2017 schedule fiinalised, auction to be held in Bengaluru

New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council announced on Tuesday that the schedule for the 2017 season of the lucrative Twenty20 cricket tournament has been finalised and the players' auction will be held in Bengaluru on February 4.

Next year's IPL, which will be the final edition under the current 10-year contract, is scheduled to begin on April 5.

The IPL governing council meeting which was held at a city hotel on Tuesday, was attended by chairman Rajeev Shukla, Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) President Anurag Thakur, BCCI Secretary Ajay Shirke, former India captain Sourav Ganguly, Jharkhand Cricket Association (JCA) President Amitabh Choudhary and Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) President M.P. Pandove.

However, the current IPL 2017 schedule may run into rough weather with the directives of the Supreme Court appointed Justice R.N. Lodha Committee as the India-Australia Test series will conclude on March 29.

According to the Lodha panel, there must be a gap of two weeks between the IPL and an international series.

However, talking to reporters after the meeting, Shukla insisted that the IPL governing council has not violated the apex court's directives.

"IPL 10 will start on April 5 next year. The auction will be held in Bengaluru on February 4. We had to keep a gap of one week after the Australia series," Shukla said.

Shukla also said that Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, which were deprived of holding IPL matches this year following a controversy over water usage for maintaining outfields and pitches as Maharashtra suffered severe drought, will host IPL matches in 2017.

Shukla said that water harvesting technology will be employed at stadiums in Maharashtra to ensure minimum wastage during IPL matches.

"We intend to generate our own water to maintain pitches and outfields during the IPL," he said.

"The workshop for IPL franchises will be organised in Dubai," Shukla added.

Shukla also said that the IPL governing council discussed several operational details related to the conduct of next year's IPL, and added that defending champions Hyderabad Sunrisers will host the opening ceremony and the final.